The Foundation for Shamanic Studies

Please note that we now ship only to the United States.

Because of postal rate increases that would require us to raise our CD prices unacceptably, we have stopped shipping outside of the United States. We regret that we are no longer able to serve our customers around the world.

Internationally renowned anthropologist Michael Harner founded the FSS in 1985 to preserve, study, and transmit shamanic knowledge worldwide. Dr. Harner has been recognized as the pioneer in the revival of shamanism in the west since his work in the early 1960s with Amazonian shamanic cultures.

The Foundation for Shamanic Studies has built a reputation of consistency and dependability by providing reliable training in core shamanic techniques to interested learners worldwide. Their Shamanic Journeywork® recordings have been specifically designed for serious journey work as explained in Michael Harner's classic work The Way of the Shaman (Harper & Row, 1980; Harper San Francisco, 1990).

The Foundation's recordings evoke the traditional shamanic experience by using the frame drum and other primitive instruments. A steady, simple beat continues through the length of the journey, and each journey ends with a precisely signaled callback. These are the classics in the field, used for decades by thousands of shamanic students and practitioners. On most of the Foundation's CDs, half-hour journeys are split into two tracks for your convenience; you can select the first track for a full half hour, or the second track for a 15-minute journey.

The solo drumming is in the classic mode by Michael Harner using a single-headed, round-frame, hand drum. The double drumming is also by Michael Harner, assisted by David Corbin. Both are using single-headed, round-frame drums.

The musical bow is the percussive sound of a single plucked string stretched tautly between the ends of a bowed stick, an instrument once utilized by many tribal shamans in different parts of the world. Here the Brazilian berimbau is played by Susan Mokelke, alone and with a rattle, providing a unique, effective sound for journeying.

The incredible sound of the aboriginal Australian didjeridu (an ancient hollow tube drone), accompanied by click sticks, carries one into an extended Dreamtime journey. The didjeridu is played masterfully by Stephen McDonnell.

Unified, driving, shamanic journey drumming by the four Bridgewalker Drummers using cottonwood double-headed round-frame drums. The disciplined drumming in unison produces a full range of the auditory spectrum.